Human rights body granted leave for challenge

Senior judges in Belfast granted leave for a further challenge to their determination that the near-blanket ban on terminations is not unlawful.

The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission will now take its case to the Supreme Court in London.

Confirmation came 24 hours after the Court of Appeal overturned a previous landmark verdict that the restrictions are incompatible with human rights legislation.

It held that the socially and morally divisive issue should be dealt with by the Stormont Assembly.

Attorney General John Larkin QC and the Department of Justice had both appealed the earlier finding.

Unlike other parts of the UK, terminations are only legal within Northern Ireland to protect the woman’s life or if there is a risk of serious damage to her well-being.

In 2015 the High Court judge ruled the failure to provide abortions for cases of fatal foetal abnormalities (FFAs) and to victims of rape or incest breaches private and family life entitlements under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).

In a case brought by the Commission, a judge also made a formal declaration that the legislation is incompatible with the UK’s obligations under the Human Rights Act.